본 연구는 국내에서 흔히 유통되는 박류 단미사료의 정확한 사료 유래 대사 단백질(metabolizable protein from feed, MPfeed) 함량을 제시하기 위해 수행되었다. MPfeed를 측정하기 위해 반추위 미분해 단백질(rumen undegradable protein, RUP) 함량과 RUP의 소장소화율을 평가하였다. 시료 각각의 RUP 함량을 측정하기 위해 홀스타인 거세우 2두를 이용하여 in situ 반추위 분해율 실험을 수행하였다(0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 h). 각 시료의 소장소화율을 측정하기 위해 12 h in situ 배양을 마친 시료들은 인공 4위액과 인공 소장액에 순차적으로 배양된 후 잔량 측정되었다. RUP와 소장 분해율을 측정을 통해 측정된 MPfeed는 전지대두가 45.1%로 가장 높았으며, 국산 대두박(44.3%), 팜박(42.7%), 옥수수 주정박(dried distiller’s grains with solubles, DDGS, 40.7%), 수입산 대두박(40.2%), 호마박(39.7%), 야자박(39.3%), 채종박(28.4%), 옥 글루텐 밀(26.5%), 옥 배아박(20.5%), 해바라기박(15.3%), 옥 글루텐 피드(14.5%), 아몬드박(5.25%) 순으로 나타났다. 본 연구에서 사용된 시료들의 MPfeed는 미국사양표준에서 제시하고 있는 수치와 차이를 나타내었는데, 이는 MPfeed를 측정하기 위해 사용되는 RUP 함량과 RUP의 소장소화율에서 차이를 보임에 의한 것으로 추정된다.

Diets different in crude protein (CP) and undegraded intake protein (UIP) contents were offered to sheep in a metabolism study to describe their effects on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen (N) metabolism. Six Corriedale sheep (body weight=56.2±2.3 kg) were divided in random within a Latin square design (replicated) to 1 of 3 diets: 1) a low-CP diet (LP; 12.2% CP with 35.1% UIP), 2) high CP with low UIP diet (HPLU; 14.9% CP with 33.7% UIP), and 3) high CP with high UIP diet (HPHU; 15.5% CP with 45.8% UIP). High-protein dried distillers grain and soybean meal were the main CP sources for the adjustment of UIP:DIP in the diets. No significant differences were found in feed consumption and nutrient digestibility; however, a greater proportion of CP was digested in sheep fed the HPLU diet (69.4%; P=0.04). Although N intake was greater in sheep receiving HPLU and HPHU diets, loss of N through fecal or urinary route was not different among sheep, which resulted in the highest (12.7 g/d) and lowest N retention (7.40 g/d) in HPHU- and LP-fed sheep, respectively. In conclusion, although CP or UIP content had marginal effects on feed consumption and whole-tract digestibility of the majority of nutrients, with the increased CP and UIP levels in the diet, the efficiency of N utilization was improved with regard to increased N retention with minimal differences in N excretion, which is important from an economic and environmental standpoint.